This section of this document introduces various pieces of the art that may be related to or provide context for some aspects of the technique described herein and/or claimed below. It provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of that which is disclosed herein. This is a discussion of “related” art. That such art is related in no way implies that it is also “prior” art. The related art may or may not be prior art. The discussion in this section is to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Detection of the stress in and resulting strained states of thin film materials and small volume samples of material are difficult to resolve by looking at diffraction patterns/shadowgraphs in 2D angle space. The detection of such diffraction pattern shifts between strained conditions, uses X-ray, electron, and neutron diffraction techniques that require careful sample preparation. Furthermore, preferred orientations may not always be available for investigation of novel materials and structures in situ.
The presently claimed subject matter is directed to resolving, or at least reducing, one or all of the problems mentioned above.